Valve lifter



Feb. 20, 1934. J SUNNEN 1,948,248

VALVE LIFTER Filed Jan. 16. 1935 Patented Feb. 2i), 1934 VALVE LIFTER Joseph Sunnen, Kirkwood, Mo.

Application Janna-ry 16, 1933. Serial No. 651,884

2 Claims.

My invention has relation to improvements in automobile tools, in the present instance more specically valve lifting tools, and it consists in the novel features of construction more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

My improved valve-lifter is in the form of a single lever of the iirst class and is particularly adapted for operation on valves of engines which have their cylinders opposed in V-forrnation with the valves disposed between the cylinders so there is comparatively limited space for the application of a valve-lifter to the valve springs. An example of such engine is the Ford V-type motor.

The principal object of the present invention, as above indicated, is to provide a valve-litter that may be inserted in the restricted space housing the valve springs and that is capable or" being rotated in said space to dislodge the spring by twisting the valve lifting tool. It is also an object of the invention to provide a valve-lifter that comprises a lever of the first class capable of utilizing the top of the cylinder block as a fulcrum in compressing the spring.

Another object of the invention is to provide one end of the valve-lifter bar with spring seats that are capable of being opened to more readily receive the valve spring, but which are securely held together when the tool is manipulated to dislodge the spring from the valve stein. In addition to the above objects I have provided a valve-lifter that is simple, both in construction and operation, and that is extremely rigid and durable. Further and other advantages will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fragment of a V-type motor block showing my improved valve-lifter being applied to the valve spring; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a fragment of said motor block showing the tool manipulated to compress the spring prior to the removal of the spring retaining washer; Fig. 3 is a top plan of my improved valve-lifter showing the position of the spring seats and the clip for holding them together by dotted lines when the seats are eX- panded to receive the spring; Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on a medial plane through the valve-lifter, parts being left in elevation; Fig. 5 is a bottom plan of the valve-lifter; Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line '7-7 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged side (Cl. ,2S-86.3)

elevation of the end of the valve-lifter carrying the spring seats and clip for holding them together.

Referring to the drawing, my improved valvelifter comprises a rigid handle bar 1 channel- 'G0 shaped in cross-section, at one end of which a pair of spring lever arms 2, 2 are connected to the sides a, a of the bar 1 by means of a rivet 3. The lever arms 2, 2 have arcuate socket members 4, 4 formed on their free ends, each of which 65 members is pro-vided with an inwardly turned frange 5, 5 on its lower edge. The arms 2, 2 are secured a short distance inwardly from the end of the channel bar l. so that said bar lies between said arms as far as the sockets 4, 4 which extend 70 beyond the end oi the bar l. The arms 2, 2 are also inherently springy so that they will (unless confined) spread outwardly away from the sides of the bar l and effect a Wider separation of the sockets 4, 4. 1t will be observed (Fig. 8) that the 75 arms 2, 2 have embossed portions 6, 6 extending from about the middle of each socket 4 across the line of each bend b produced by the formation of the sockets in each arm 2. The embossed portions that lie in the flat part ef the arms 2, 2 30 inwardly from the sockets 4, 4 gradually merge into the surface of the arms 2, 2 for a purpose presently to appear.

An elongated convex bearing plate '7 extends over a substantial part of the open bottom of the channel bar 1, said plate having tongues 8, 8 formed on its extremities and bent inwardly (Fig. 4) so as to come between. the sides a, a of the channel bar 1 to which these tongues are spot-welded, as shown at w, w, etc. Between the tongues the plate 'l is wider than the width of the channel bar so as to overlap the edges of the sides a, a (as shown in Fig. '7). A clip 9 in the shape of a hollow rectangle is slidably mounted on the tool behind the sockets 4, 4 and 95 intimately envelops the bar 1 and the spring arms 2, 2, said clip being slidable from immediately behind the sockets 4, 4 inwardly beyond the embossed portions 6, 6 by means of a clip actuating bar 10 disposed between the sides a., a of the 100 bar 1. The forward end 1l of the bar 10 is bent slightly downwardly to contact with the lower side 12 of clip 9 to which it is connected by screw 13 and nut 14, and the rearward end of the bar 10 terminates in a finger piece 15, said finger 105 piece having an upwardly bent extremity 16 adapted to ride against the inner surface of the channel bar 1 which serves as a guide as the linger piece is moved backwardly and forwardly.

A coiled spring 17 is connected at its forward end 110 to the channel bar 1 by means of a pin 18, and at its rearward end to a pin 19 projecting from the bar 10. The action of the spring 17 is to continually urge the bar 10 and, of course, the clip 9 forwardly toward the sockets 4, 4 and in contact with the embossed portions 6, 6 so as to press the springs arms 2, 2 together and hold the sockets 4, 4 securely against spreading apart. In this sense the clip may be said to serve as a lock for the socket and spring seats 5, 5 formed therein.

A post 20 projects perpendicularly from the channel bar l'to which said post is secured by means of its threaded reduced extremity 21 and nut 22 (Fig. 4). For convenience in actuating the tool the post 20 is disposed at a point where the bar 1 is slightly widened for the purpose of providing a handle I-I where the tool is grasped by the operator while manipulating the same.

In the operation of my improved valve-lifter the operator grasps the tool with one hand on the handle portion I-I using the other hand to retract the clip 9 by pressing rearwardly on the linger piece 15 of the bar 10 to permit the socket members 4, 4 to spread apart under the influence oi the spring arms 2, 2. The valve-lifter may then be inserted into the space between opposite cylinders C, C, as shown in Fig. 1, to receive the spring S between the socket members in a manner that the iianges or spring seats 5, 5 will pass between adjacent coils of the spring. This done the operator releases his hold on the nger piece 15 allowing the bar 10 to move forwardly under the influence of spring 17 which causes the clip 9 to slide forwardly over the embossed portions 6, 6 of spring arms 2, 2 forcing said arms and also the socket members 4, 4 together. The channel bar now may be rocked downwardly at its handle end with the bearing plate 7 resting on the top surface of the motor block B which serves as a fulcrum for the oscillation of the tool to compress the spring S and allowl the spring retaining washer W to be removed. The operator may now raise the valve, partially withdrawing the valve stem from the spring S, after which the bar 1 is rocked so as to raise the handle member, allowing the spring S to expand preliminary to removing said spring. The spring is removed from the limited space between the opposed cylinders by grasping the post 20 with one hand and rotating the channel bar so as to bend the spring in a manner that its lower end will be directed lengthwise in the space between the cylinders whereupon it is readily dislodged. Obviously, the clip 9 serves to hold the socket members 4, 4 rmly against spreading while the spring is being compressed and removed from the motor block.

It is not indispensable that the arms 2, 2 be arranged to spring outwardly when the clip 9 is retracted as the tool will operate with equal facility if these arms are loosely connected to the bar l by the rivet 3 so as to be capable of a slight hinge action. If the arms 2, 2 are loosely mounted at their inner ends and the clip 9 retracted the sockets 4, 4 will be forced open as the tool is applied to the spring S.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A Valve-lifter comprising a channel-shaped handle bar, a pair of levers mounted on opposite sides of said bar adjacent to one end thereof, each of said levers having a seat member on its outer extremity and extending beyond the end of the handle bar, a bearing plate secured to the channel bar and partially closing the open side thereof, a clip embracing the levers and slidable thereon, a clip actuating bar connected at one end to said clip and confined by said bearing plate in the channel bar, and means on the actuating bar for manually engaging the same whereby it may be actuated.

2. A valve-lifter comprising a channel-shaped handle bar, a pair of levers mounted on opposite sides of said bar adjacent to one end thereof, each of said levers having a seat member on its outer extremity and extending beyond the end of the handle bar, a bearing plate secured to the channel bar and partially closing the open side thereof, a clip embracing the levers and slidable thereon, a clip actuating bar connected at onel end to said clip and conned by said bearing plate in the channel bar, spring means for forcing the bar and clip toward the seat end of the levers to hold said seat members together, and means on the actuating bar for manually engaging the same whereby it may be actuated.

JosEPH sUNNEN. 

